$2,400 stolen from American Legion

ELYRIA -- More than $2,400 was taken from the American Legion, 393 Ohio St., when two large holes were put in the building's walls.

Sam Betounes, a Lorain County Veterans Service Commissioner, told police he arrived at about 7:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 2 and found the two holes -- roughly two feet by three feet -- near the canteen's entryway. Police found that someone broke in through an unlocked window in the main hall, giving access to the room where the holes were made.

The first hole led to the canteen area and was near a motion detector. The alarm was activated at 3 a.m. but officers only found an unsecured window and no keyholder could be reached, police said. Police suspect the suspects backed out of the first hole after noticing the motion alarm and then created the second hole to enter an office and the storage room. Nothing was found disturbed in the canteen.?

Betounes found a safe removed from the storage closet and pried open. It was calculated that $2,456 was removed. Foot prints were found but no suspects were located. Betounes was told to update his key holder information as three people were contacted with no response, police said. He was also advised to add security cameras after indicating it was the fifth break-in at the American Legion in the past year.